Hay Equipment - Final Update (for now... )

Bill VA

Well-known Member
Today we were going to bale the mother load after dabbling yesterday with some earlier cut hay.

The hay got a few sprinkles of rain early this morning, but when I checked it - was dry underneath, so I waited until about noon for the moisture and dew to fully cook off and gave it another turn with the JD350 hay rake.

While I was waiting for the hay to dry, I did a little adjusting with the NH68. I moved the middle feed forks to the right about an inch and the left most (bale chamber side) feeder forks a couple of inches - almost to the grease zerk on the feeder fork bar. The goal was to get more hay in the far side of the bale chamber.

Once the hay was raked and nice and dry, we started baling. The adjustments pretty much eliminated the bananna bales, but every once in a while I'd have a looser string in the farside of the chamber vs the knife side.

We baled about 150 bales and I started smelling coolant. Couldn't see any coming out of hoses or the radiator, the engine was not overheating. Then all of a sudden, white coolant smelling steam started pouring out the exhaust and the radiator overflow was blowing antifreeze. I hope I've got a blown head gasket and not a cracked head on my otherwise reliable MF50 diesel.

As a rule, I like to run what I own and if for no other reason, that way if it breaks when I'm using it, it's on me. Today, I made an exception. I called my brother who has a Ferguson TO20 and asked if we could finish baling with it. Didn't know if this little tractor could or would handle the NH68. After swapping the draw bar from my MF50 to his tractor, we hooked the baler up and gave it a spin. Knowing it didn't have live PTO, I was careful about loading up the baler. In addition, this tractor has a non-functioning governor, so special attention is required when operating it! Engaged the PTO, the TO20's engine lugged down and then the NH68 came to life. Bottom line is that little tractor handled the NH68 great!

However, after making about 60 bales, a massive thunder storm struck. The rain came so fast, I could hardly see to drive the tractor/baler out of the field. I was drenched. The hay we baled not yet picked up was drenched. The remaining windrows were drenched too. The moisture content in the hay is now through the roof!

We unhooked the NH68 from the TO20 and put the JD350 rake on it for wet hay salvage, but with the PTO adapter, the PTO shaft on the rake is to long. I'll go to TSC and see if I can find a PTO shaft I can cut down - just to use on the TO20. I want to get the remaining hay off the field, not sure what to do with it, burn the bales or sell it as rain soaked hay or mulch.

So for now, the great hay experiment - while successful has ground to a stop.

Lots of great experience gained this time out - lessons learned too for the next round.

Thanks again for everyone's help!!!!!!!
Bill
 
I hate to hear that happened to you. You might be able to flip the remaining windrows enough to get them to dry but it will be a challenge. If you could borrow a tedder it would be nice and help tremendously but if your like me you work with what you've got. I've had to use my rake before and flip windrows multiple times to get them to dry out after being rained on. As for your tractor,the main thing I will say is when you get a head gasket get one from Agco or Perkins. Don't try aftermarket gaskets on a Perkins engine. As far the bales that got rained on...I would say they are ruined.
 
And this, my friend, is why you NEED a rotary tedder in these here parts. It can tear those wet windrows apart, and you'll be able to rake them again for baling the next day.....
 
Only chance of saving those rained on bales is to cut the strings and spread them out and re-bale with the rest of the field when dry. (or feed them immediately).

As mentioned by others: a tedder would be best for this, but a rake can certainly do the job too. I have used my rake to a salvage a rained on crop before.

Everyone thinks haying is easy, but that is so far from the truth. A masochistic hobby is what haying is.

Even on many of my successful hayings: it is always a stressful rush to beat the rain. On more than one occasion I have been loading bales with lightening strikes all around. Get the trailer just backed in the barn and here comes the downpour...as I breathe a sigh of relief...
 
No more bales dropped on the ground for me, from just what happened to you. Bale chute and a wagon or two. Rain comes up and all it takes is a tarp over that wagon and its all good. Also seems like these days you got to have a tedder of some sort. You might have gotten that hay baled the day before if it had been tedded.
 
Listen to the guys posting above, get a bale chute and wagon, find a tedder if you can. The east coast is wet, you don't leave bales in the field- ever. A tedder will pay for itself the first time you get your windrows rained on.
 
Bill, your next step is to start understanding the weather forecasts. Here is what you need to do: listen to 2 or 3 radio stations from cities around you, especially south and west as that is where your weather comes from. You need a minimum 2 dry sunny days, then you might be able to bale by late afternoon on day 2, but you also need a tedder, or you will need 3 days. Also go to Accuweather or Weather Underground on the internet and get their forecasts. If there is 30% chance or better for rain, assume it will. The forecasts are only good 2-3 days out at best. T-storm cells are the hardest to predict. Hate to say, but last rule of thumb, if you need rain, it won't and if you need sun, it won't. Good luck.
 
Ditto on all the other posts. At the least get a chute and a wagon or thrower . We used to put up about 9000 bales a year when were still milking cows. Usually 2 or 3 people thanks to a mow conveyor ,a throw baler and a huge mow you didn't have to stack . I started fooling with hay last year ,took a while to hunt up bargains . I work full time so I always like at least 3 clear days maybe 4 . We got about 1000 in this year before I called the neighbor , sold the rest standing . I didn't lose any to rain . I feel your pain , good luck .
 
And welcome to the "hobby" of Haying. SOunds like your on the right path.. In all the years I have done this I have hay on the ground one time that never dried because of the forecast. Thats when after so long I ran the shredder over it and made fertilizer.. I use to try and do whole field at once, in the last few years I only do as much as I can get up in a half day or so. It takes more time but cutting fields in half or even quarters makes my stress less and I usually dont get caught with hay on the ground but still things happen. Good luck
 
You have one of the most important tools for making hay right under your nose. Your computer. Use WeatherBug, weatherground, or any good wx program check it religiously before mowing . Get your local radar maps. I have one on my phone. ("My Radar") app on Iphone.I can tell you to the hour when it will or will not rain. You should have seen that thunderstorm on radar hours before it hit.
 
We are definitely plugged into the weather forecast.

What we couldn't forecast was the head gasket blowing on the MF50 - LOL.
 
Yes - we've been able to flip the windrows and get things dried
out to bale.

10-4 on the head gasket.

Thanks!
Bill
 
Yes - we cut the bales open and spread them out on the
ground, probably 20 in all - could have been worse.

A tedder is on the list.

Thanks,
Bill
 
We've got a wagon, but it needs a rebuild. That will be a winter project.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Tedder is on the list. I've been on the lookout for a used one,
but in my neck of the woods, they very pricey and look like
junk. It might turn out that the only new piece of equipment I
but for making hay (other than shear pins) will be a tedder.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Yes - we are definitely dialed into the weather.

We couldn't predict a blown head gasket on the MF50. By the time we were able to use my brother's TO20, we could see thunder clouds gathering. Had the MF50 kept going, we'd have finished easily.

Thanks,
Bill
 
We've got a hay wagon, but it needs a rebuild. That will be a winter project.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Thanks for the comments.

We are definitely taking notes. Even one day to the next has yielded some improvements.

The good news is if were were to loose the entire crop, while disappointing, had we not gotten ourselves this hay equipment, these fields would have been bush hogged again.

Thanks,
Bill
 

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